Members of the Sirius Science team were in Toraigh on Monday, 19 November as part of Science Week. Rob Hill gave a really interesting presentation about space, the planets and the International Space Station. Members of the audience wore 3D glasses during the presentation and it seemed like meteorites were coming towards them. Dr. Nóra Patten spoke as well and she was very interesting too. She is a member of the Possum Project which is training people to be astronauts and there is every chance that she will be the first Irish person to spend time in the International Space Station. Quite an achievement for a lady from Mayo. There is every chance that Dr. Patten will be in space before the Sam Maguire is back in Mayo (written by a Galwayman). We wish her the best of luck

]]>http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?feed=rss2&p=1825&lang=en-uk0Coastal Watchhttp://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1809&lang=en-uk
http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1809&lang=en-uk#commentsTue, 16 Oct 2018 11:15:29 +0000http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1809The students went down to the sea on Monday, 15 October, to conduct a survey as part of ‘Coastal Watch’. They selected a one-hundred metre stretch of strand below the sea wall for their survey.
]]>http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?feed=rss2&p=1809&lang=en-uk0Corncrake Conservation Project (Part 2)http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1790&lang=en-uk
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Marie Duffy of the National Parks and Wildlife Service came to Tory in the beginning of May to work with our students as part of the Corncrake Conservation Project. Marie and the students planted potatoes to develop and maintain a suitable environment for the bird. Five months later and the potatoes were ready to be lifted. The students went out on a grand, sunny October day to pick the spuds; while they worked hard and lifted a lot of potatoes, there are still a lot more left in the field. Now, they have to use the potatoes in their cooking.Thanks to the national school students for taking part and to Pádraig Ó Duibhir for all his help.

The College’s students participated in a video conference with a research team from the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies on board the marine research vessel, Celtic Explorer, which was south of Iceland at the time; The online meeting took place on Tuesday, 25th Sepember. The scientists are deploying seismometers around the Irish coast to monitor volcanic activity. The students had the opportunity to speak to the research team because one of them, Thomas Vance, won a competition to name one of the seismometers being deployed. ‘Allód’ (ancient Irish sea God) was the name Thomas gave to the seismometer that now lies on the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Cork. The students were able to ask members of the Sea-Seis team questions, all of which were willingly answered.

]]>http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?feed=rss2&p=1767&lang=en-uk0 Digital Mapping http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1754&lang=en-uk
http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1754&lang=en-uk#commentsThu, 27 Sep 2018 12:48:07 +0000http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1754Continue reading →]]>Students and teacher from Portmarnock Community Scool in Dublin came into Toraigh on Friday, 14th September to work with our own students on the the development of a digital map of Toraigh. The Portmarnock students have done a lot of work on digital mapping over the last number of years, including the mapping of Lesotho in Africa; one can safely state that they are experts. Our own students have been working on the mapping of Toraigh for the last number of years and they met with the Portmarnock students when both attended the School Digital Champions exhibition in Dublin. Because the Portmarnock students had so much experience in the business of mapping they offered to come to Toraigh to advise the Toraigh students. While they did not have the nicest of trips into Toraigh, they did not complain; they were very friendly and helpful and assisted our students in learning about the apps and software necessary for digital mapping. Our own students are now ready to push ahead with their mapping project; their objective is simple – to make Toraigh the most mapped island in Ireland and that to be done in Irish. We are very grateful to the students and teachers of Portmarnock Community School and we look forward to welcoming them to Toraigh again.
]]>http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?feed=rss2&p=1754&lang=en-uk0Tory Students Win National Competition Having Collected 400 Placenameshttp://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1742&lang=en-uk
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According to Meitheal Logainm.ie, the work of Coláiste Pobail Cholmcille “will preserve the placename heritage of Toraigh for the next generation”.

The students of Coláiste Pobail Cholmcille succeeded in collecting 400 placenames for the national second-level school competition organised by Meitheal Logaim.ie. The students also recorded the proper pronounciation of many of the placenames they collected.

Meitheal Logainm.ie stated that the students had developed a substantial collection which will add greatly to the preservation of placenames and the associated heritage in Toraigh and the surrounding areas. It observed that the collection is a valuable record of historic, geographical and placename knowledge.

]]>http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?feed=rss2&p=1742&lang=en-uk0 Information Tour around Cloughaneely http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1736&lang=en-uk
http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1736&lang=en-uk#commentsThu, 24 May 2018 09:27:18 +0000http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1736Continue reading →]]>First and second year-students went to the mainland on Thursday, 17th May to participate ina guided tour of Cloughaneely with some students from Pobalscoil na Rossan. The students from Pobalscoil na Rossan wre accompanied by their teachers, Donncha Mac Niallais agus Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh. Seosamh acted as guide and there is no limit to his knowledge of the area and its history and folklore. We went to Coláiste Uladh, to the ‘Cloch’ itself for which Cloch Cheann Fhaola (Cloughaneely) is named, Doe Castle and Dún Well. Seosamh spoke at each site and the day was really interesting. It would have been impossible to pick a better day for the trip as the sun was splitting the rocks.Everyone really enjoyed the day. Thanks a million Seosamh!
]]>http://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?feed=rss2&p=1736&lang=en-uk0Cully & Sully Cookery Competitionhttp://cpcthorai.donegalvec.ie/?p=1629&lang=en-uk
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First and second-year students are taking part in a cooking competition organised by the food company, Cully & Sully. They planted rockets seeds and, when the rocket had grown (patience needed!), they made salad and soup with it. As well as that, they composed and recorded a ‘rap’ advertising their products.

Marie Duffy of the National Parks and Wildlife Service was on Tory in the beginning of May to work with our students as part of the Corncrake Conservation Project. The corncrake still comes on Tory but there are not very many of them and the aim of the project is to develop and maintain suitable environments for the bird, not only on Tory but wherever he is to be found. Marie and the students, and even some of the teachers, worked hard in the fields planting potatoes to give cover to the corncrakes when they return from North Africa in the Spring. The workers went down to the seashore to gather seaweed with which to fertilize the plants they had planted earlier. It is hoped that the project will be very successful and that the call of the corncrake will long be heard on Tory.